Shoulder frame



Sept. 18, 1951 c. L. ZAGATA 2,568,105

SHOULDER FRAME Filed June 2O 1950 INVENTOR ,www/Ve .Za

ATTONEY Patented Sept. 18, 1951 Y. .,N

f SHOULDERQBMEQ Christine L. Zagata, awthorne, fJ.- Application June 20, 195o, serial No. 169,161

' (oraal-,268) f 5 claims.

My invention relates to clothing and moreparticularly to shoulder frames or pads, examples `.of prior art constructions being disclosed in United `States Patents Nos. 145,661; 2,400,210; 2,420,799 2,423,498; 2,433,623; 2,438,072; 2,465,120 and 2,495,028. u I One of the objects of my invention is to provide a shoulder framewhich is simple in construction, durable in use, efficient in operation and economical in manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to .provide a'shoulder frame which is capable of being expeditiously incorporated within and removed from the shoulder of a garment, easily cleaned upon removal topromote a high degree of sanitation, constructedof relatively light and semirigid, material, and simulates the appearance of naturalhuman shoulders of adesired height and shape.

An important` object of my invention is to provide a shoulder frame which may be encased within a readily removable covering IY Sheath for detachable connection tothe garment orto be easily secured within a pocket formed as a permanent part of the garment.

.With the above and other objects in View, as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter setforth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of my invention.

Figure 2 Vis a Ilongitudinal sectional view of the frame illustrating the same removably incorporated into a covering or sheath secured within the shoulder of a garment.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan illustrating the frame as being incorporated within the covering or sheath.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View of the frame l,and illustrating rthe latter detachably mounted within a shoulder pocket constituting a permanent part of a garment.

In practicing my invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, I provide a shoulder frame 4 comprising a pair of upper and lower members 5 and 6, respectively, and with said members being structurally integrally joined together at their side and rear marginal edges 1. At their fronts, the members are disposed in spaciality UNITED STATES toeifect inclination of the `lower member B rela.- tive to the upper member 5. i.

The members 5 and 6 are semi-elliptical in plan land curve transversely to dene lower con` cave faces 8 whereby the lower member lV is .adapted tocmbrace they wearers shoulder. members "5 and 6 are connected together bya reinforcing rib 9 extending centrally throughout the length of the'frame and with the membersjfS and 6 and the rib 9 being constructed of plastic having a slight degree of pliability to enable the member 5 to substantially conform to the shape of the shoulder. The front faces of` the mem-- bers and adjacent end face of the rib are disposedin aligned or ush relation and in substantial verticality Vwhereby to simulate thev appearance of a box or square. shoulder during wearing of a garment thereover. 'i l f i As yillustrated inFigure 3, the frame 4 isencased within-a covering Vor sheath l0, the `latter being provided,` at its front, with a closurefflap Il for retaining the A frame within the poketiof the covering. The lower end ofthe flap ily-is provided with a tab l2 which extends under the front of the covering and is detachably secured theretoY by vmeans of a snap fastener I3 orthe like, whereby the ap is maintamed closed. Ob-

viously, by detaching the tab I2 from the lower face of the covering, the flap may be opened to permit removal of the frame 9 from within the covering.

The covering ID is secured within the shoulder of the garment i4 in any convenient and usual manner, for instance, by stitching I5, it being understood that only sufficient stitching I 5 is employed tol maintain the frame in adesired position within the shoulder and that the covering may bemreadily removed, by severing the stitching, to permit Aboth cleaning of the frame and covering 'when they 'are disassembled.,V illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing, Vthe shoulder of` the garment 20 is formed with a pocket yI constituting an integrant of the garmentand in which pocket the frame 24 Vis, inserted and removed' through the open end of the pocket." AFrom the foregoing, it willbe apparentthat lmy invention provides means lfor elevating and shaping the 'shoulders of a garment'and'whicl'l means is readily removable for cleaning and use in other garments, the means being of a relatively light weight to preclude tiring of the wearer and prevent discomfort during use.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the `features of the invention be used conjointly since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and subcombinations.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein described use therefore as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it is adaptable. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not` limited to the specific construction as illustrated and described, as the same is only illustrative of the principles involved y which are capable of extended application in various forms, and the invention comprehends all construction within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A shoulder frame adapted to be removably encased within a sheath carried within the shoulderof a garment and comprising a pair of substantially semi-elliptical members connected together at their marginal arcuate edges; said members being transversely curved and defining upperV and lower members withthe latter'adapted to embrace the'sloping shoulder of a wearer; each of' said members 'having a transverseedge face spaced from the other between its ends todeliejanopening for effectingr communication of a chamber, disposed between said members,v and the atmosphere Vand for' positioning said lower member outwardly and downwardly with respect m'sfadv upper member when the latter is disposed inisubstantial'horizontality and said edge faces in'subst'antial vertical alignment .to thus elevate thesho'ulder of a garment and simulate the appearanceof a square natural shoulder.

" 2.' A shoulder frame adapted to be removably encased within a sheath carried'within the shoulder of a garment and comprising a pair of substantially Asemi-ellipticsal membersconnected to- A"ge'therfl at their marginal arcuate edges; said members being transversely curved and de'ning upper and lower members with the latter adapted to emlcarace the sloping shoulder of a wearer; each of saidmembers having a transverse edge face spaced from the other between its ends with the transverse curvatures of said members, at said edgeffaces, being generated from different points and of substantially the same radii whereby said lower member extends outwardly and downwardly with respect to said upper member when the latter is disposed in substantial horizontality and said edgeI faces in substantial vertical alignment to thus elevate the shoulder of a garment and simulate the appearance of a square natural shoulder; and a reinforcing rib' disposed centrally between said members and extending longitudinallyl therebetween; said members and said `rib being structurally integrally connected to each other at their jointures whereby to provide a unitary frame structure.

3. A shoulder frame adapted to be removably encased within a sheath carried within the shoulder of a garment and comprising a pair of substantially semi-elliptical members connected together at their marginal arcuate edges; said members being transversely curved and dening f thus elevate the shoulder of a garment and simu- V late the appearance of a square natural shoulder; and a reinforcing rib disposed centrally between said members and extending longitudinally therebetween, said members being structurally integrally connected together at their jointures to provide a unitary frame structure.

" 4j In combination, a shoulder frame comprising av pair of substantially semi-elliptical members connected together at their marginal arcuate edges; said'members being transversely curved and-defining upper and lower members with the latter adapted to embrace the sloping shoulder ofawearer; each of said members having a transverse edge face spaced from the other between 'its ends to define an opening'for effecting communication of achamber, disposed between said members, andthe atmosphere and for positioning said lower member outwardly and downwardly with respect to said upper member when the latter is disposed in substantial horizontality and said edge faces in substantial vertical alignment to thus elevate the shoulder of a Igarment and simulate the appearance of a square natural shoulder; and a fabric sheath removably encasing said frame and adapted to be detachably secured Within the shoulder of the garment.

5. A shoulder frame adapted to be incorporated within the shoulder of a garment and comprising a one-piece body formed with a chamber and being of a substantially semi-elliptical shape in plan and fashioned with upper and lower convex and concave faces extending over and beneath said chamber, respectively, said body being of a substantially cuneiform configuration in central longitudinal sectionality and formed with a substantially crescent-shaped transverse face pro'- vided with an opening through which said chamber communicates with the atmosphere, said concavesface adapted to embrace the sloping shoulder of a wearer to dispose the mediacy of said convex face in a substantial horizontal plane and said transverse face in a substantial vertical plane to elevate the shoulder of the garment disposedover said frame for simulating the appearance of a square natural shoulder.

` CHRISTINE L. ZAGATA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in. the le ofA this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

